Remembering Haitian History

The exhibition “Memory of Popular Fights in Haiti” is one of the public activities of the program. In addition to the informative aspect, it is an invitation to think about the ways of perpetuating the traces of popular mobilizations. It is the first initiative of the ICKL in the perspective of the establishment of a museum of popular struggles in Haiti.

This exhibition revives some stages of popular mobilizations, struggles of progressive forces in Haiti between 1946 and 1996. Through various photographs and other documents of time, are traced some highlights of these popular struggles. In addition, the exhibition shows that popular struggles or progressive organizations are, in their forms, strongly conditioned by the political situation.

The fall of Lescot in January 1946 led to a tremendous explosion of protest: popular demonstrations, intense trade union activity, and others. However, blackness and epidermic phantasmagoria will confiscate the open breach, and the political space saturated by demagogic cacophony.

Under the Duvalierian terror, the progressive parties functioned in the greatest secrecy. The “cemetery peace” required the death sentence of fighters in the prime of life whose only crime was to dream of another Haiti. The Tontons Macoutes and the military occupied the streets.

From February 7, 1986, street demonstrations were the main form of mobilization of progressive and popular forces. Not without danger. The guardians of the status quo stood guard. The other Haiti for which the progressives and the popular layers have made so many sacrifices is yet to come.